GSPC Qs and As
=Source of Questions: GSPC= * Gertrude Stein Club web site 1. What is the office sought? Pgh city council, district 3. 2. Give your name, address, phone, fax, and e-mail address. Mark Rauterkus 108 South 12th Street Pittsburgh, PA 15203 voice: 412 298 3432 NO FAX Mark@Rauterkus.com 3. What is your experience in government, politics, and public issues? Ran for Mayor, City of Pittsburgh, 2001 GOP primary, because I hated what Tom Murphy was doing to our city. Ran for PA Senate, May 2005, special election. Board member for City of Pgh GOP party for 3 years, appointed by chairman, in early 2000s. Elected at-large Allegheny County Libertarian Party Board member in 2005. Vice-Chair Libertarian Party of Allegheny County in 2006. Called public hearing for city council starting in 1999 regarding the closing of Pitt Stadium and the move into South Side for football practice facility owned by nonprofit UPMC and rented to the Steelers. That was my first public scrum with the system's status quo. Called a public hearing to de-rail Peduto's campaign finance reform measure in 2004 as he mounted a campaign for Dem endorsement vs. Bob O'Connor. His measure was then tabled, with support of League of Women Voters and Common Cause. Later invited to the campaign finance reform task force by Bill Peduto. Our work product has not seen the light of day, despite my continual objections. Part of the City of Pittsburgh Aquatic Task Force. Such a joke. City would then close all pools at end of 2003. Pushed hard with SOS efforts (Save Our Summer), 2004. Made a TV show for PCTV 21. Released a 100-page position paper on the formation of a Pittsburgh Park District in 2004. Asking for a government model like Illinois. One of the key leaders in the Pittsburgh Interfaith Impact Network's (PIIN) Youth Task Force and called Mayor Murphy to allow us to, at no cost to the city, install 6 computer labs each with 4 PCs into rec centers around the city. This request was denied in 2002, before a full house in a church in the Hill District. This was PIIN's first public demands of politicians. Helped with the Great Race Alternative -- after the City of Pgh Great Race was cut by Mayor to create a bigger crisis. Saved the Swim Team in 1999 that had a long-term lease at Oliver Bath House and Highland Park Pool -- with city. Team later moved to Schenley H.S. and now operates at the Kingsley Assn pool. Board member and long-time coach at Citipark's Market House, and the Childrens' Athletic Assn. Coached dozens of teams for nearly 10 years. Started the swim team at Phillips Elem School in 2005 with the P.E. teacher. Board member of Green Tree Swim Team, summers. Also a volunteer coach for 4 years. Board member of Carlynton Swim Team, winters. Also a paid coach, part time, for 2 years. Organized meetings about the now closed indoor ice rink on the South Side. Active blogger and organizer on many fronts with many citizens and groups about local and regional political issues. http://Rauterkus.blogspot.com My political blogging is greater than all that of other politicians and candidates in SW PA combined. Publishes the Platform.For-Pgh.org/wiki/ now more than 300 pages of technical content about solutions and issues to help Pittsburgh. Helped with many Ground Zero efforts, including a writer and actor with The Art of News, and helped by suggesting the Depot at the Flux events, performer at Making a Scene, and drank beer or two at The Chart Room on Thursday, trying to save Pgh one beer at a time. Worked on the Downtown Pgh Collaborative, plan A, B, C, and D.... (I think). Sala's meeting were then broken down into marketing and other issues, and I attended most of those public meetings. Visible against the arrival of Act 47 and other overlords into Pittsburgh's landscape. Worked on SOS (Save Our Stadium) with many old-timers of Pitt Football. Hosted a 9-11 concert and performance, TV filmed at Club Cafe. Hosted other community concerts and workshops including one where a 2004 presidential candidate spoke to in Mt. Washington. Byron Davis, a black Olympic swimming hopeful came to the citiparks' championship swim meet because of my involvement. Spoke to PA House Committees and Allegheny County Council -- on many instances including the end of eminent domain abuse and the frail voting machines. Spoke to the Pgh Public School Board on many instances including the right-sizing plan, the need to not sell South Vo Tech, the wish to phase out school closings (including South Vo Tech), the end of the Gifted Education program and the need to have our city kids play day-to-day within the WPIAL vs. suburban schools. Webmaster for many years at my Unitarian Universalist faith community, Sunnyhill.org. Helped in publishing that newsletter for prior years too. Worked at many school districts (Fox Chapel, Plum, Canon Mac, New Trier, Evanston) and private universities, (Bradley Univ, Harvard Univ), religious university (Baylor Univ), public universities (Ohio Univ.), public organization (Peoria Park District) and other nonprofits (Carnegie Library of Homestead, Swim Clubs). Plus, I've got a large list of consulting efforts for gratis (Netscape, Adobe) and I've been a worker in many private companies, including my own (for 10 years). I have a wide range of work experiences in the private and public sector with middle and upper management responsibilities. 4. In approving appointments and/or staff hiring, do you support a policy of nondiscrimination toward sexual minorities? YES. 5. Do you support the enactment of laws amending anti-discrimination statutes to protect the rights of sexual minority people? If so, what specifically would you be willing to do to secure their passage, implementation, and enforcement? Freedom, Liberty and Justice for ALL matters greatly. It is perhaps, one of my most frequently stated expressions in this campaign. We got T-shirts last week that say, "Liberty XL, One size fits all. Pittsburgh, 2006." We need to keep precious every one's rights. Liberty is very important to me -- as I'm a Libertarian. To secure liberty, now, we need to focus on it. Now, our focus is on things that government should NOT be doing, like building downtown malls, hockey arenas, gambling casinos, and other silly big-ticket projects that won't help our city. Diversity is a by-product of freedom. Government has a duty to defend and protect freedoms, not give-a-ways to political friends, including neighborhood groups. 6. Do you support domestic partnership benefits? Yes. 7. What is your position on civil marriage for same-sex couples? Marriage is a religious sacrament -- and I'm a Unitarian Universalist. So, I've been to and support the notion of same sex marriage, as a religious event. A Catholic can't do the same, by any stretch of the imagination. 8. What is your position on the right of sexual minority people to be considered on their individual merits in custody and adoption matters? We need to give a lot of extra care to our youngest folks. We are failing our kids. I am one who wants to focus on the kids and children, more so than anyone on Grant Street has ever done in the past. I'm glad you ask about kids. This is the 2nd precious priority of mine -- beside Liberty. Kids and Liberty are where I'm the strongest. So, I have no problems with anyone who is a good and willing parent to adopt a kid, including sexual minority people. 9. What is your position on bullying among young people and do you see any judicial remedies? The young people need to be coached. Good behaviors must be learned and taught -- in many different avenues. Our Rec Centers are not doing the job at all. Our schools and kids need more community support. Same too with the judicial remedies. But, more challenges in other areas would end the silliness with the kids. I don't mind gangs with our kids -- if they are gangs that we control. I know that a kid with a 6 am swim practice and a goal of going to states isn't going to be out past 10 pm causing trouble on the streets. Kid's with spray paint cans, or other markers, are not given enough canvas in life, say on the internet, to express themselves in creative ways. We can't crack down with punishments and expect to fix things. We need more creative outlets for the kids, supervised as necessary. But, these are creative, volunteer fixes that teach people how to play well with others. Our city is HORRID at playing well with others. And, that is the root of the problem for Pittsburgh -- and I dare say -- the root of the challenge put forth with the GSPC too. If we just played well with others -- things would be smooth. And, peace would result. And, this is HARD WORK to wage peace. Libertarians know that you don't drop bombs onto your customers. You know, our asphalt playgrounds (research proves) at our schools help to encourage the bully-like behaviors. I nearly published a book on playgrounds and this question you ask -- when I was a book publisher with my own company. We did publish a book for hearing-impaired kids to get them out for their scholastic sports teams. So, I've done high-level advocate work that has had national impacts. 10. Do you favor government support for AIDS prevention programs, including needle exchange? YES. This was a part of my statements back in 2001. 11. Do you support access to insured medical care for transgendered persons, including hormone therapy and sexual reassignment surgery? I'm not an insurance executive. But, I've got a better solution. Let's get behind the Ferlo sponsored single payer PA bill now introduced in the PA Senate. We don't need to have health care linked to employment. That hurts our businesses, our people, our hospitals and our state's economy. We need state-wide single payer programs, and this is not going to work on a national level. 12. What is your position on preserving a woman's right to choose a safe and legal abortion? I think that we should keep the rights that are there today as they are. 13. What measures would you support aimed at the elimination of rape and domestic violence? Should we issue a news release that the heat in hell is going to due for an increase due to global warming? I'd rather not fund Lord & Taylor and Lazarus (pun) department stores -- and instead be sure that we have safe houses, computers in those safe places for kids to do their homework, and other humanistic helping efforts that government should do for its citizens in times of dire need. As we "lay the shovel down" on the big ticket silliness, like the tunnel under the river to the lower North Side to serve the stadiums, then we'll be able to give the focus to the things that I -- and you at GSPC -- care about most. 14. What is your position on pay equity and comparable worth? My wife is a professor, Ph.D researchers, director at UMPC -- and a mom. I have four younger sisters. I've been a stay-at-home dad. This topic is near and dear to me. No others will be as strong on this topic as I am. 15. What is your position on affirmative action to combat racism and sexism? I stood with the Black Trade Unions as ground was broken on the North Side as PNC Park building began. The pass-through contracts to black-owned and women-owned building contracts was a joke under Mayor Murphy. This was a serious problem and I put up some serious objections to those prior practices. None of the others in this race for city council lifted a finger on these matters. The B-PEP folks have a good understanding of the struggle in the schools too. I care that the kids in The Hill have a good chance to get to school in a safe setting, and such. Westinghouse and Peabody should be turned into single gender schools, and I said this at Rev. Monroe's church when they hosted meetings in recent months. The poor in Pittsburgh, mostly the black poor, have been given a bad deal. Same too for their kids. I want to give them computers, wireless networks, and challenge them with open-source software, youth technology summits and opportunities to learn how to play well with others -- even in the suburban schools too. We should not be excited to do subsidized housing for rick folks downtown, or at Sommerset at Frick. That's wrong when we are doing so little for the most affordable levels of housing. I understand the needs of the free summer lunch program and the efforts at Just Harvest -- and that's what should be the focus of city government. I'm a LIBERTARIAN and a UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST -- both in name and acts. I have a history of work in the community, of defending freedoms and with the most vulnerable in our community, especially the kids.